A case against former Transportation and Communications secretary Josie Lichauco dismissed by the Ombudsman eight years ago has been resurrected by the Supreme Court.
It’s strange. Could it have something to do with the fact that Josie Lichauco is in the forefront in the search for truth in the 2004 elections and justice for the Filipino people?
Lichauco, who has an unblemished record as a public servant, is one of the complainants in the second impeachment complaint against Arroyo.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, the court gave merit to the complaint by Michael de Guzman, president and chief executive officer of Philippine Agila Satellite Inc. (PASI) that the Ombudsman should reinstate the graft charges against Lichauco for her alleged refusal to honor the government’s assignment of orbital slots to the firm.
Lichauco said, “I was in fact protecting the priority of PASI to launch a first Philippine satellite to make it nestle on any of the two orbital slots: 153 degrees and 161 degrees east Longitude which the DOTC was endeavoring to procure through a long tedious process of technical coordination with other countries who had satellites and/or orbital slots in the region.”
Lichauco said if this is harassment for her involvement in the impeachment case, whoever is behind this is mistaken. She will not be intimidated.
This is the news report last Tuesday on the SC’s order:
The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the Ombudsman to decide on the merits of the graft charges filed against Josefina Lichauco, former Transportation and communications secretary, buy a private consortium tasked to operate and manage the country’s satellite system.
In an 11-page decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, the court granted the Philippine Agila Satellite Inc. (PASI), a group of private telecommunications carriers, to set aside the July 17, 1998 ruling of the Ombudsman dismissing the graft case against Lichauco.
The court gave merit to the complaint by Michael de Guzman, president and chief executive officer of) that the Ombudsman should reinstate the graft charges against Lichauco for her alleged refusal to honor the government’s assignment of orbital slots to the firm.
The Evaluation and Preliminary Investigation Bureau (EPIB) of the Office of the Ombudsman recommended the dismissal due to a prejudicial question and for being “premature” considering that the issues involved are also the subject of litigation in the civil case filed by PASI before the Mandaluyong regional Trial Court.
The Court said that under the Ombudsman’s Rules of Procedure, a complaint at the evaluation stage may be dismissed outright only if there is no basis for a charge. As to the prejudicial question, the court may only be suspended but not dismissed, and not at the instance of the investigating officer.
The case stemmed from Lichauco’s claim that the two orbital slots assigned by the DOTC to PASI had no basis and her subsequent issuance of a notice of offer for several orbital slots including those supposedly assigned to PASI.
PASI subsequently filed a civil case before the Mandaluyong RTC against Lichauco for an injunction against the award of the said orbital slots.
PASI also filed a separate complaint against Lichauco before the Ombudsman for violation of the anti-graft law.
PASI contended that the resolution of the issues in the civil case is not determinative of the guilt or innocence of Lichauco. It said that even if Lichauco is found liable for damages, it does not follow that she would be convicted of the crime charged.
Lichauco’s statement:
I was in fact protecting the priority of PASI to launch a first Philippine satellite to make it nestle on any of the two orbital slots: 153 degrees and 161 degrees east Longitude which the DOTC was endeavoring to procure through a long tedious process of technical coordination with other countries who had satellites and/or orbital slots in the region. We coordinated with countries in the region and the Intelsat based in Washington. After about two years, except for official registration in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the slots were cleared for the launch by PASI of a Philippine satellite.
In the meantime the DOTC under then Secretary Lagdameo awaited the launch, but I was informed that PASI would not be able to make it on time for the APEC summit where APEC heads of state were to be arriving in the Philippines headed by then President Clinton. The instruction of President Fidel Ramos was for the DOTC to ensure that a Philippine launch would happen. Mr. Michael de Guzman who became the majority owner and chairman of PASI assured me that PASI would be able to launch a satellite in time for the APEC summit.
The late Mr. Wigberto Clavecilla opted out of PASI and other members of the consortium, did likewise. Mr. De Guzman then suggested that PASI procure an “aging satellite” in the region, that Mr. De Guzman recommended, could migrate from its current orbital slot to 153˚. He said it would take only approximately 22 days for the aging satellite to migrate to the Philippine slot.
The DOTC agreed to the PASI recommendation.when no word was emanating from PASI, I got worried and called Mr. De Guzman because the APEC was 11 days away and he said it was migrating. But I was worried about his tentative words and called the officer in charge of the Subic satellite station to find out where the satellite was and he confirmed that this satellite had not even left its slot. It had not even started to migrate. The DOTC had been told a lie by Mr. De Guzman.
When PASI failed to launch a satellite in time for the APEC summit meeting here in Manila, the orbital slots were offered in formal tender by the DOTC. There was even a notice of this offer in the newspaper and a Philippine company named H. Telesis won, but they failed to perform, so he orbital slots were used. We could not just unilaterally assign the orbital slot to any one without a formal tender.
After consultations with then Secretary Lagdameo and President Ramos, the Mabuhay Satellite Consortium headed by PLDT came to the rescue with a recommendation that they can launch a satellite using however an Indonesian slot because their negotiations on this were being finalized. Agreeing to their recommendation, we presented it to then president Ramos, and a Philippine satellite was formally launched in time for the APEC summit. It was this satellite transmission that was used during the summit meeting. I resigned from the Estrada administration in 2000, and I do not know what has happened to the slots, whether they were registered with the ITU, or abandoned.
After a while, I found out that a case had been brought against me by Mr. De Guzman and a lawyer from the Solicitor general’s office assigned to take up my defense. And the last thing I heard was that an anti-graft case was filed against me by Mr. De Guzman before the Ombudsman, but had been dismissed.
(Photo above:Josie Lichauco flanked by Carol Pagaduan (left) and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza (right) during a Women’s Day rally. From Google, www.ssc.edu)
This is an evidence of pure vendictiveness of Pandak and her minions. I saw in one of the big gathering of women – many of whom are known to be against the administration.
Sa ganda at tikas ni Ms. Josie Lichauco ay hindi ko akalain na masabi niya sa harap ng publiko kung sino at anong klaseng tao si Pandak! Estudiyante niya pala noon si Pandak at …(sana napanood nyo rin ang mga sinabi niya).
Sa ngayon ay pinagana na naman ang what-am-I-here-for ni Pandak kaya gusto niyang rumesbak kay Ms. Josie Lichauco.
And if you see a group of matrons cheering for Gloria, they are her Assumption classmates. They were very visible during the impeachment last year.
It’s nothing by doggone communism and Gloria is the head honcho. So, it’s not so surprising that after all these years Gloria wants to get Josie. Just imagine ever since bogus Gloria stole Malacanang during the daylight hours while everybody were wide awake, over 700 of those that spoke against Gloria either missing or now dead. A travesty of Philippines as a nation, and I don’t know how can get any worst. This is a lesson for you Ellen and don’t get too comfortable, nobody is safe while Gloria Iscariot is in Malacanang.
How can the Philippine Supreme Court contradict its own ruling? Unbelievable and why just now? Halatang-halatang politically motivated and not for the sake of justice. Wala na ba talagang pag-asang matanggal itong klaseng JUST-TIIS? Dapat diyan tanggalin lahat ang mga political appointee ni Pandak sa Supreme Court at saka sa Military at Police lalo na’t isa siyang criminal suspect in an election fraud, plunder, etc. criminal cases!!!
This should read: Dapat diyan tanggalin lahat ang mga POLITICAL APPOINTEES ni Pandak sa Supreme Court at saka sa Military at Police lalo na’t isa siyang criminal suspect in an election fraud, plunder, etc. criminal cases!!!
Dapat din hindi political appointee ang ombudsman. Tignan ninyo tuloy, hindi nagtratrabaho ng tama dahil friend ni Pandak at Fatso!!!
gloria’s evil ways must be remembered by all of us.
When her time comes, and she is sick, gasping to answer plunder charges and many more, let us not give her compssion and forgive that liar!
Let her suffer for the consequences of her action.
gloria is as vindictive as she is cunning. Even her own classmates shun her; her own cabinet members resigned with disgust, and Cielo has expressed disbelief in her ways. The only ones left wag their tails becoz, they, too, are just like their “amo.”
Anna,do you or any of you knows this Michael de Guzman? I remember him as the one involved in the Big Bird operation of Joe Almonte, supposedly a sting to steal Marcos billions in Switzerland. The PCGG under Salonga, with the help of Joker Arroyo, then Cory Aquino’s executive secretary, blocked him.
The Supreme Court is at it again!!! Talaga naman!! Imagine, birds of the same feathers are coming together to wipe out bansot’s critics??? Naglalabasan silang lahat kasabay ng paglabas ng kanilang mga baho. Hay naku!!! Huwag kang susuko Josie Lichauco….malapit na ang pagbagsak ng enchanted kingdom ng black magic woman. Bigla siyang maglalaho sa malacanang!
Ellen,
That’s why the name sounded familiar. Was he with the Almonte operation? Or was he one of those who had an authority from Marcos to make withdrawals? Or was he employed by both?
If I remember correctly, one of the big bird people, maybe it’s the same guy, even bought or put up a bank in Austria or somewhere para padaanin doon yun pera that was going to be withdrawn from the Marcos account.
Ellen,
All I know is that Michael de Guzman was linked directly or indirectly with Aerospatiale at the time.
Aerospatiale made a proposal to launch the Lichauco project. His name appeared on several documents that I got hold of during the DOTC’s negotiations with Mabuhay.
Ellen,
Hope you won’t mind my asking, how long have you known Josie Lichauco?
Josie Lichauco is not the end, won’t be the last and as long as bogus Gloria illegaly occupying Malacanang she will stop at nothing. Gloria will kill it’ll become necessary (and it has) and Josie is just a number in the scheme of thing with Gloria. So, brace yourselves it’s a long time before 2010, if you can believe her. But we know better, Gloria can’t be trusted. Gloria is not giving up nothing, Gloria need to be kicked out forcefully. It’s the only way to save the Republic from destruction. Gloria is an evil person, living in a make belief, her own personal enchanted kingdom and we are her subjects. So she think.
Josie Lichauco just got in the way of Gloria. Nothing personal for Gloria, strictly business to remain in power. There are far worst by others closest to Gloria than the charges being labeled against Ms Lichauco, but Gloria to stupidly corrupt to even notice them.
The black force is at it again, interpreting things for its own benefit. The legion claims that the impeachment cases recently filed will not prosper because there is still a pending case in the Supreme Court ergo the impeachment case of 2005 is not yet dismissed. WHAAAAT?
Sabi nila, ibinasura ang impeachment complaint last year thus wala nang kaso. Case closed, no proceeding, no guilty party, GMA is clean. For one year, we waited.
Now, after one year, sabi nila, the impeachment complaint of last year is still ongoing because the SC has not decided yet on the appeal the opposition, themselves, filed. Ergo, no new impeachment complaint can be filed this year. WHAAT? Ergo, no new impeachment complaint can ever be filed until SC (her SC?) decides on the appealed impeachment complaint of 2005. WHA-WHA-WHAATT?
Harap-harapan na ito! They interpret things to their own benefit and advantage. Gaguhan na ito! Bastusan na ito! Kung naging heneral o koronel man lang sana ako, sana…
I advocate na walang murahan sa blog na ito, pero…Ms. Ellen, malapit na rin akong mag “P” word. Malapit na!
INQ7 BREAKING NEWS – NATION
“Flowering shrub named after Arroyo
……………
An ornamental hybrid on Wednesday was christened “Mussaenda Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo” in honor of the country’s top political figure.”
Wow, “in honor”, wow! Holy cow!
Mussaenda…sounds like “masasaid na”. Actually, said na na po. Tama na po. Said na po.
Manuel,
Michael de Guzman was working with Almonte. You are right. He put up a bank in Austria. What I could remember of the Big Bird operation was De Guzman was working for both Marcos and Almonte’s group. Looks like he is a real operator.
Anna,
I have covered Josie Lichauco in several events and issues when she was DOTC undersecretary.
Lately, because she has been very active in the “oust Gloria” activities, i have been dealing with her more often.
Can someone tell me to where I can purchase a “Mussaenda Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo ornamental hybrid plant. I always find a way to spit, puke and pee on Gloria and this will make it more convenience without being shot by the tutas of Iscariot.
“Harap-harapan na ito! They interpret things to their own benefit and advantage. Gaguhan na ito! Bastusan na ito!”
Ngayon mo lang ba nahalata?
Ellen,
Wasn’t the plot unconvered by the media? I believe that the Marcoses wanted to get hold of the assets and would give de Guzman a commission. Was it were really a sting or another backchannel attempt by certain individuals for a fee?
Like Toney Cuevas, would like to purchase Gloria GRAFTed “fake” flower (according to a blog by Jove) plant so my dog can pee on it every morning.
Anna,
That event must have been so hilarious. They have unwittingly put one over the “morally bansot”. After Jove’s report which could have been read by the pretender, she wouldn’t be blooming but booming instead. That woman who orchestrated the event will be in a lot of trouble for sure.